The movement of University of Karachi (KU) teachers against Sindh Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2013 has lost momentum due to split in members of Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS).
The bill, in its few controversial clauses, restricts the appointment powers of the chancellor and vice chancellors of the public-sector universities and makes them subject to the chief minister’s approval. The bill confers the power of the appointments of the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, registrar, controller of examination, chief accountant, bursar and resident auditor to the provincial government. Moreover, the bill empowered the provincial government to determine admission policy of the varsity, its constituent colleges, institutes and centers.
As per media reports, the teachers of KU launched a movement against the controversial bill but with the passage of time the teachers of the varsity split into groups.
A KU teacher on requesting anonymity said, there are two reasons behind loss of momentum, one is the clash of opinion in KUTs members and second is that KUTS is engaged in annual elections.
This division in KUTS has resulted in the formation of Karachi University Think Tank (KUTT), another KU teachers’ body that was formed for giving guidelines to KUTS to fight against the controversial bill. Seeing this scenario, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Sindh-Circle has decided to take up this issue with the provincial government.
